[SUCCESS] Gigabyte Designare Z390 (Thunderbolt 3) + i7-9700K + AMD RX 580

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ I tried to search my previous post to remove the quote but I can't find it, by any chance did you remove it already?

Someone else removed it...

anyway i tried to open the link in this post of yours (https://www.tonymacx86.com/threads/...olt-3-i7-9700k-amd-rx-580.316533/post-2087524 --- Mini-Guide for Flashing SPI ROM Chips using CH341A Programmer) but this link is also offline, can you reset this too please?

I just tried that link and it works okay for me. The link will take you to the Thunderbolt Firmware Repository. Please give it another try. Happy to help if you have other questions.

 

[Mochimino]

@CaseySJ
I changed the SecureBootModel to disabled and it's not booting but now is displaying some infos (see video). It seems to stop mid-boot somehow. I tried a 2nd time and I think it stop at another moment during the boot.

 

[mark01975]

Someone else removed it...


I just tried that link and it works okay for me. The link will take you to the Thunderbolt Firmware Repository. Please give it another try. Happy to help if you have other questions.

Thanks @CaseySJ,
All solved. I searched the posts by myself.
But now I have another problem, why does it tell me that the chip can't be written (and it doesn't even read it)?

sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r Give_the_Contents_a_Name.bin
flashrom v1.2 on Darwin 21.6.0 (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at https://flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
libusb: info [darwin_claim_interface] no interface found; setting configuration: 1
No EEPROM/flash device found.
Note: flashrom can never write if the flash chip isn't found automatically.

and if i rotate the clip:

sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r Give_the_Contents_a_Name.bin
flashrom v1.2 on Darwin 21.6.0 (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at https://flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
Couldn't open device 1a86:5512.
Error: Programmer initialization failed.

 

[CaseySJ]

@mark01975

We should not rotate the chip or the clip. We must match pin 1 on clip to pin 1 on chip. Then try two or three times to read the firmware.

 

[CaseySJ]

@CaseySJ
I changed the SecureBootModel to disabled and it's not booting but now is displaying some infos (see video). It seems to stop mid-boot somehow. I tried a 2nd time and I think it stop at another moment during the boot.

Some suggestions:

• Change ResizeAppleGpuBars to -1 because you have a GPU that does not support Resizable Base Address Register (BAR)
• Remove boot argument agdpmod=pikera because you have a Vega GPU

 

[Mochimino]

Unfortunately, it didn't work. The boot stop exactly at the same moment (tried a couple of times), after the line "PCI configuration end, bridges 11", etc...
See attached a screenshot so you can check if I removed the boot argument properly.

 

[CaseySJ]

Unfortunately, it didn't work. The boot stop exactly at the same moment (tried a couple of times), after the line "PCI configuration end, bridges 11", etc...
See attached a screenshot so you can check if I removed the boot argument properly.

It may be a good idea now to try a completely fresh installation of Monterey. Two other users also encountered a series of issues when attempting an in-place upgrade from Mojave to Monterey/Ventura. I suspect that even if we fix this particular problem, a new problem will arise.

So I think it would be more worthwhile to perform a fresh installation of Monterey (or even Ventura). Then we can use Migration Assistant to transfer documents and applications from Mojave -- or better yet, we can manually transfer our documents and re-install the applications we use.

 

[Mochimino]

Yes, I think you're right. I was hoping to be able to switch from Clover to Opencore to spare me the hassle of re-installing everything (especially since it working so well at the moment) but a fresh install seems to be the best option.
Here's what I was thinking to do:
- install Monterey using OpenCore on my "clone" SSD.
- When everything is great and works fine, I will backup my files from my "original" NVMe on one of my other SSD
- Then I could use SuperDuper (or whatever else) to duplicate my working Monterey over my original NVMe.
- Finally, I transfer my files over to my new NVMe on Monterey

Does that make sense?
If yes, which guide could I look up for a fresh Monterey or Ventura installation using OpenCore?

 

[mark01975]

@mark01975

We should not rotate the chip or the clip. We must match pin 1 on clip to pin 1 on chip. Then try two or three times to read the firmware.

@CaseySJ
Nothing to do. I tried a thousand times, both with the Mini-Guide for Flashing SPI ROM Chips using CH341A Programmer and with the Mini-Guide for Flashing SPI ROM Chips using Raspberry Pi 3B or 4 (using a RP3b). But always I get as answer:

sudo flashrom -p ch341a_spi -r Give_the_Contents_a_Name.bin
flashrom v1.2 on Darwin 21.6.0 (x86_64)
flashrom is free software, get the source code at https://flashrom.org
Calibrating delay loop... OK.
libusb: info [darwin_claim_interface] no interface found; setting configuration: 1
No EEPROM/flash device found.
Note: flashrom can never write if the flash chip isn't found automatically.

I will abandon the hope of flashing the ThunderboltEX. In the meantime I ordered a Gigabyte Titan Ridge, and I will try with that. I hope to succeed at least with this one.

 

[CaseySJ]

@mark01975

The ThunderboltEX 3 is very difficult to flash. We often have to desolder the chip, flash it ex-situ, then solder it back. Only an experienced person or repair shop should attempt this.

Gigabyte GC-Titan Ridge is very easy to flash.

Note: On GC-Titan Ridge we need to flash the chip that has a BLUE dot (not green dot).